4Runner Problem Pinging Low Power

M

Maineiac

New member
Hey fellas,

I am having some problems with my Runner. It started a few weeks ago I notice the power fell off quite a bit it seemed to happen slowly. Now the Runner down shifts going up modest hills on the highway at 68 mph. If I am using the throtle vs cruise when I roll onto the throttle it falls on its face and pings like mad untill it downshifts or i let off it is odd its like it is starving of fuel. I only drive about a half mile a day to work I know this cant be great for the truck but its what I got.

I have been running premium to try to stop the pinging but no dice.

03 V8 sport
105,000 miles timing belt done at 100,000
Trans done at 100,000

dunno what to do any help would be fantastic the truck is not throwing any codes.

Maineiac
 
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I'd walk until I figured this out! You don't want to be hammering away at your bearings with all of that ping/knock! I really don't know these engines nor have enough info to give you much advice but have you checked the obvious things like the intake to make sure you didn't suck up a plastic bag or a rat nest? I'd give everything a good looking over to see if there's something visible causing a problem. I'm guessing the V8 uses a MAF sensor, have you ever cleaned that? Spark plugs? Diesel instead of gasoline? (stupid, I know, but I've seen it happen).
 
No deisel in the tank lol. I had the intake off recently to do the plugs but I will check again for debris. I have never cleaned a mass air before, could that cause this issue? I will give it a shot. Thanks for the reply!

Maineiac
 
Maineiac said:
No deisel in the tank lol. I had the intake off recently to do the plugs but I will check again for debris. I have never cleaned a mass air before, could that cause this issue? I will give it a shot. Thanks for the reply!

Maineiac
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Just a heads up: there's a special MAF sensor cleaner sold at auto parts stores and I even think they stock it at Walmart.

I know fouled MAF sensors can cause a wide variety of ills but most of the bad ones will usually throw a code. Please let us know when you do figure out the problem.
 
I have had more than a few tanks of gas through the truck with this problem. I have even changed where I fuel up to rule out bad gas from one source. I am currently on vacation in NH in the white mountains and it has zero power. normal putting around is fine but if you call on it at all it just falls on its face and has to down shift. I wish it would just throw a damn code and give me a clue.

I haven't done any of the mentioned stuff yet but will when I get back home I will.

If the fuel pump was going bad or the filter was plugged would it cause this? It feels just like it is starving for fuel.

Thanks for any help.

Maineiac
 
Soo I have cleaned the MAF but to no avail, I am going to make an appointment with the local steelership and see if they have any insight on what it maight be. If not I guess I will let them dig into the timing belt and see if its off a tooth. I hope not!
 
Maineiac said:
Soo I have cleaned the MAF but to no avail, I am going to make an appointment with the local steelership and see if they have any insight on what it maight be. If not I guess I will let them dig into the timing belt and see if its off a tooth. I hope not!
Click to expand...

Problem here is that it ran correctly after the belt was done so any change would be due to it slipping a tooth or more. I don't know these engines like I know I4 Hondas but after having the stealership fail to release the tensioner pulley after warranty work on my '00 Accord (I was hearing an odd engine noise) and having to go back and fix a total of 6 problems I confirmed my desire to do every bit of work myself whenever possible. Too many hacks out there.

If the dealership you had the work done at isn't helpful I'd ask around and find a specific mechanic (some of which do work at dealerships) that has a good reputation for knowing exactly what he's doing.
 
Fixed!!!

So the dealership pointed out to me that my LT Rear caliper was seized up quite tight. And if you can believe it, it was enough to cause the pinging and power loss. So $100 later my 4Runner is back in action the way it was ment to be. Cheers and thanks for all the help.:party: Obligitory Victory Picture Below!

runnerd.jpg
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Maineiac said:
So the dealership pointed out to me that my LT Rear caliper was seized up quite tight. And if you can believe it, it was enough to cause the pinging and power loss. So $100 later my 4Runner is back in action the way it was ment to be. Cheers and thanks for all the help.:party: Obligitory Victory Picture Below!
Click to expand...

A frozen rear brake caliper was causing this problem?
 
I get the low performance. A stuck caliper on the rear can make it like a brick in mud.
But the pinging? That doesn't make any sense. An engine just doesn't ping. Something has to be up. Pre-detonation has to be occurring, and that only occurs under specific scenarios.

Either your knock sensor was bad.... or you were overheating to the point of pre-detonation. Having a rear wheel drag would def. kill MPG and performance, but I don't see it causing a ping, unless your response to a dragging truck was flooring it and overheating.

So, maybe it wasn't pinging? To the untrained, a lifter or a exhaust leak can cause it.

Sorry to jack the thread. I was just thinking to myself that it all sounded odd.
 
DC runner said:
I get the low performance. A stuck caliper on the rear can make it like a brick in mud.
But the pinging? That doesn't make any sense. An engine just doesn't ping. Something has to be up. Pre-detonation has to be occurring, and that only occurs under specific scenarios.

Either your knock sensor was bad.... or you were overheating to the point of pre-detonation. Having a rear wheel drag would def. kill MPG and performance, but I don't see it causing a ping, unless your response to a dragging truck was flooring it and overheating.

So, maybe it wasn't pinging? To the untrained, a lifter or a exhaust leak can cause it.

Sorry to jack the thread. I was just thinking to myself that it all sounded odd.
Click to expand...

I'm with you. That's why I asked. I towed 4500 lbs of payload up some grades in excess of 8% up to 9500' on 87 octane generic fuel and not an audible ping anywhere, nor should there be. The ECU is programmed to compensate for pretty much every known operating scenario such as high intake air temps, high coolant temps, high sustained loads, etc. It was these very things that took me a lot of time to tune on my Honda when I abandoned the stock ECU program and went custom. I don't know the logic that Toyota uses to deal with knock on these engines but I'm willing to bet it has some latitude and used the knock sensor (a tuned microphone) to dial it in to some specified ignition re**** (the correct term r/e/t/a/r/d has been censored :infidel:, can you believe that?) from MBT (mean best torque) or a the highest expected octane knock ignition limit, which ever is lower.

Gone are the days (or at least they ought to be) where you heard all sorts of pinging from your engine at low-RPM/high-load settings.

I would have expected to see smoke billowing from an overheated brake if one single brake was causing much drag at all over more than a few miles, especially serious drag.
 
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Well the truck was pinging but you could tell it was cutting timing because it was falling on its face. However we do seem to have a problem with crap gas around here.

I think with everything combined it was just a perfect storm.

However it is fixed now and drives fine no ping at all so I am good to go!

Thanks for all the help!
Maineiac
 
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